Richlands' new elects focus on restoring town, drawing businesses

Priscilla Orr, right, of Richlands casts a ballot at Onslow County Museum in Richlands, Tuesday afternoon.

Thomas Brennan / The Daily News

By THOMAS BRENNAN Daily News Staff

Published: Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at 09:30 AM.

Newly elected Richlands officials are hopeful about the revitalization of downtown and an influx of local businesses.

Incumbent McKinley Smith, who has been filling the mayor’s seat since 2007, was re-elected to a second term after receiving 166 of 235 votes cast, or 71 percent, on Tuesday.

“The citizens in Richlands have seen the improvement we’ve made here in the city,” said Smith prior to the polls closing. “Anything we can do to better the town for the citizens is what we’re going to do. We’re trying to get more businesses in the downtown area and revitalize things around here. The sky is the limit in Richlands.”

He beat out former town alderman Fran Pierce, who received 67 votes, or 29 percent of those cast. Pierce could not be immediately reached for comment once the results of the polls were released.

In the town’s alderman race, four of the five incumbents will retain their seats: Tom Brown, who had 154 votes, or 20 percent; Kent Painter, who had 136 votes, or 18 percent; and Paul Conner and Kandy Koonce, who each received 127 votes or 17 percent. They will be joined on the board by Michael Carpenter, who received 114 votes, or 15 percent. Incumbent Rob Willems will not retain his seat after garnering 101 votes, or 13 percent.

Painter, who was reelected for a second term, said that it reaffirmed that the people are pleased with what he has done during his tenure.

Newly elected Richlands officials are hopeful about the revitalization of downtown and an influx of local businesses.

Incumbent McKinley Smith, who has been filling the mayor’s seat since 2007, was re-elected to a second term after receiving 166 of 235 votes cast, or 71 percent, on Tuesday.

“The citizens in Richlands have seen the improvement we’ve made here in the city,” said Smith prior to the polls closing. “Anything we can do to better the town for the citizens is what we’re going to do. We’re trying to get more businesses in the downtown area and revitalize things around here. The sky is the limit in Richlands.”

He beat out former town alderman Fran Pierce, who received 67 votes, or 29 percent of those cast. Pierce could not be immediately reached for comment once the results of the polls were released.

In the town’s alderman race, four of the five incumbents will retain their seats: Tom Brown, who had 154 votes, or 20 percent; Kent Painter, who had 136 votes, or 18 percent; and Paul Conner and Kandy Koonce, who each received 127 votes or 17 percent. They will be joined on the board by Michael Carpenter, who received 114 votes, or 15 percent. Incumbent Rob Willems will not retain his seat after garnering 101 votes, or 13 percent.

Painter, who was reelected for a second term, said that it reaffirmed that the people are pleased with what he has done during his tenure.

“We’ve had a lot of growth coming to Richlands,” Painter said. “In the future, I want to see it come in a nice orderly fashion. That’s my primary concern – keeping it a nice place to live and to make downtown even nicer.”

Conner, who also was reelected for his second term as an alderman, said he is thankful people realized the work he put into making the town a better place to live. Downtown, for Conner, is still a big focus for him, he said, calling it a “diamond in the rough” that needs “mom and pop” shops.

“Local government isn’t big time politics, but our decisions still affect people,” he said. “The decisions we make aren’t huge in the grand scheme of things but they are huge to the people who live here.”

As a 20-year alderman, Brown said he doesn’t plan on doing anything differently. He said he will continue to be conservative with revenue because the town is in good financial shape with a fund balance around 60-percent.

“As always I plan to work for the betterment of the town, keeping in mind that I have to be flexible,” Brown said. “It appears that the actions this board has taken has worked well for the town of Richlands.”

Carpenter, Koonce and Willems could not be immediately reached for comment.